Assembly for specimen culturing

ABSTRACT

A specimen culturing assembly for cultivation of a specimen simultaneously under both anaerobic and aerobic environmental conditions. This assembly is especially adapted for collecting and simultaneously culturing micro-organisms suspended in a fluid (such as, blood, milk, urine, pus, etc.). The assembly comprises an anerobic container and an aerobic container releasably locked or clamped together. A special valve and tube structure allows a laboratory technician to alternately direct the fluid containing the micro-organisms into the aerobic container and then into the anaerobic container.

United States Patent n91 Nazemi l l ASSEMBLY FOR SPECIMEN CULTURINGMalek M. Nazemi, Eastwood Medical Center, 1030] Gateway West. El Paso.Tex. 79925 [76] Inventor:

[22] Filed: Sept. 10, 1973 [2]} Appl. No: 395.770

[52] US. Cl. 195/139: l95/l42; l95/l27 [51] Int. Cl. ClZB 1/00 [58]Field of Search l. l95/l39, 127 I42 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3.276.589 lU/l966 Janka} 195/142 NOV. 11, 1975 PrimaryE.\'uminerAlvin E. Tanenholtz Artur/re). Agenn or Firmlohn PaulRobinson. Jr

[57] ABSTRACT A specimen culturing assembly for cultivation of aspecimen simultaneously under both anaerobic and aerobic environmentalconditions. This assembly is especially adapted for collecting andsimultaneously culturing micro-organisms suspended in a fluid (such as.blood, milk, urine. pus, etc). The assembly comprises an anerobiccontainer and an aerobic container releasably locked or clamped togetherA special valve and tube structure allows a laboratory technician toalter nately direct the fluid containing the micro-organisms into theaerobic container and then into the anaerobic container.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov.11, 1975 Sheet10f23,919,053

FiG. I

US. Patent N0v.l1, 1975 Sheet20f2 3,919,053

PLASTIC TUBE FIG.]]I

ASSEMBLY FOR SPECIMEN CULTURING The invention relates to collecting andculturing a specimen under both anerobic and aerobic environmentalconditions.

The following U.S. Pat. Nos. were garnered in a preliminary search ofthe prior art: (I) 3,647,386 to S. R. Gilford; (2) 3,433,712 to H. W.Gerarde; (3) 3,181,529 to E. H. Wilburn; (4) 3,045,494; and (5)2,832,344 to E. Davidson.

Accordingly, a major object of the present inventive concept is toprovide a new and extremely simple specimen collector and culturingassembly which is reliable in operation, simple to fabricate, and isconstructed and arranged to minimize the number of operations requiredto collect a specimen under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions.

Another object is to provide a specimen collecting and culturingassembly which is extremely economical to construct and maintain.

A still further object of the present inventive concept is to provide aspecimen collecting and culturing assembly which because of itscompactness and simplicity of design has a field of its own, as thisassembly can be readily utilized almost simultaneously to collectsamples of a specimen under aerobic and/or anaerobic conditions.

Other objects and important features of the present inventive conceptwill be apparent from a study of the specification following, taken withthe drawing, which together show, illustrate, describe and disclose apreferred embodiment or modification of the invention and what is nowconsidered to be the best mode of practicing the principles thereof.Other embodiments or modifications may be suggested to those having thebenefit of the teachings herein, and all such other embodiment ormodifications are intended to be reserved especially as they fall withinthe scope and spirit of the subjoined claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. I is a cross-sectional view of the present inventive concept.

FIG. II is a front elevational view of the anaerobic unit of the presentinventive concept.

FIG. [I] is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the valve mechanismemployed in the present inventive concept.

Certain terminology will be used in the following description forconvenience in reference only and will not be limiting. The wordsupwardly", downwardly", rightwardly', and leftwardly" will designatedirections in the drawing in which reference is made. The wordsinwardly" and outwardly will refer to directions toward and away from,respectively, the geometric center of the anaerset assembly anddesignated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words abovespecifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import.Further, it will be understood that the following description of theanaerset assembly has been selected for illustrative purposes only as aconvenient and appropriate means for acquainting those skilled in theart with the present invention.

For the purpose of disclosure of the anaerset assem' bly embodying thepresent inventive concept, reference is now made in greater detail tothe drawings; wherein FIGS. I, II and III illustrate the anaersetassembly generally indicated at 10. The assembly includes an anaerobicunit 12 and aerobic unit 14 mounted or disposed in a close, side by sideor faying relationship.

In FIG. I a structural clip member 16 extends outwardly andsubstantially parallel to the bottom wall 18 of anaerobic unit 12, forreleasably clamping anaerobic unit 12 to aerobic unit 14. The extremeend spring portion 20 of clip member 16 extends generally upwardly andsubstantially normal to leg portion 24. The end portion 20 has aninwardly extending arcuate surface 22 which effectively abutts orcontacts and biases ae robic unit 14 into a close or faying relationshipwith anaerobic unit 14.

The entire structural clip member 16 can be fabricated as a unit ofaresilient plastic, metal or other suitable material, however, if desiredonly the extreme end portion 20 can be ofa resilient material and theinterjacent or leg portion 24 can be of a rigid material having agreater tensile strength than end portion 20. The above descriptiondepicts the preferred structure to releasably clamp or lock the twounits 12 and 14 together, however, any other type of releasable clampcan be employed, for example, a simple rubber band can be positioned toencircle both units 12 and 14 for releasably clamping them together.

The anaerobic unit 12 generally includes a container 26 manufacturedfrom a substantially rigid material such as plexiglas. However, anyplastic or other suitable material which will not contaminate and iscompatable with the specimen being handled or analyzed can beeffectively utilized. The top-wall 28 of container 26 is provided withan opening 30 (See FIG. I) in which is disposed a flexible,gas-impermeable closure or stopper member 32 which can be made of rubberor other conventional material. In addition, a small, relatively thick,gas-impermeable rubber stopper or membrane 34 is disposed in andcompletely covers another relatively small hole 36 which is, likewise,positioned in top-wall 28. An elongate opening 38, disposed in outwardlyfacing side-wall 40 of container 26, is completely covered bygas-impermeable, flexible membrane 42. Flexible membrane 42 is fixedlysecured to the edge portion 44 of side-wall 40, which defines elongateopening 38 in a conventional manner so a gas-impermeable seal iseffected therebetween. This gas tight seal can be created when asuitable adhesive is applied to the edge portion 44 and the membrane 42is positioned in superposed relationship thereto; or the edge portionsof membrane can be so constructed and arranged to frictionaly grip orclamp the complementary edge portion 44 of wall portion 40 toeffectively create a fluid seal therebetween.

The container 26 encloses a sterile prereduced culture medium 46, suchas, peptone yeast glucose, starch medium, brain-heart-infusion broth,and other conventional types of liquid culture medium as required. Ahollow sterile plastic tube 48 is inserted completely through stoppermember 32 and communicates with the interior of container 26. Theresilient stopper member 32 effects a gas tight seal about the outerperipheral surface of tube 48, thereby inhibiting the ingress of oxygenand/or other fluids into container 26. The other open end 50 of tube 48is open to the ambient atmosphere or a hollow needle means 52 can besecured to the open end 50 of tube 48 with said needle communicatingwith the interior of tube 48. In the illustrated embodiment, a flexibleclamp means 54a is movable between an open and closed position, whichpermits the flow of fluid through tube 48 or prohibits fluid flowthrough tube 48. The valve illustrated in FIG. lll can be substitutedfor clamp means 540 and 54!) if desired. The valve illustrated in FIG.lll has two outwardly biasing leaf spring portions 560 and 56b whichforce inner clamping legs 58, 60 toward each other and into clampingengagement with plastic tube 48, whereby no fluid can flow through tube48. When a lab technicians fingers apply an inwardly directed force toboth leaf spring portions 56 a and 56b, clamping legs 58, 60 are forcedoutwardly away from plastic tube 48 which permits the flow of fluidthrough tube 48, from a specimen source into the interior of container26.

The aerobic unit 14 generally includes a container 62 made of a plasticmaterial which will not contaminate the sterile medium 64 enclosedwithin container 62. At least one side-wall 66 is flexible and resilientto the extent that it will flex when a lab technician forces it inwardlywith a finger (see FIG. I). The bottle or container 62 will inherentlyreturn to its normal configuration when the force being applied isremoved therefrom. The above described movement is illustrated in FIG.I; the broken lines show the inwardly movement of a flexible side-wall66 when a force is applied thereto. The side-wall 66 is shown in a solidline when in a normal relaxed configuration. The space 68 above medium64 is generally occupied by air, oxygen or a gas containing oxygen. Thetop-wall 70 is provided with an opening 72 (FIG. I) in which is disposeda flexible gasimpermeable stopper or closure member 74 that is made ofrubber or some other suitable material. Another smaller relatively thickgas-impermeable rubber membrane 76 is positioned within and covers hole78 which can be disposed in top-wall 70 or can be positioned in an upperportion of any side-wall. A hollow sterile plastic tube 80 has one endextending completely through stopper member 74 which, because of itsresiliency, effects a fluid seal around the outer circumference of tube80; thereby preventing the sterile container 62 from becomingcontaminated by impurities. The other end of tube 80 is connected to andcommunicates with the interior of tube 48. The other end of tube 80 isconnected to tube 48 between open end 50 and valve means 54a. A valvemeans 54b, which is identical to valve means 54a described above andillustrated in FIG. I, is movable between an open position which permitsthe flow of fluid from open end 50 into the interior of container 62;and a closed position which inhibits the flow of fluid through tube 80.[t is apparent that by utilizing the present assembly, a sample ofaspecimen can be readily obtained under both aerobit: and anaerobicconditions.

The valves 54a and 54b are mounted on a plastic T- shaped member 82which allows a lab technician to direct and thrust the needle 52 into apatients flesh and into communication with a vein or other fluid pocket.The T-shaped member 82 includes a relatively flat, elongate dependingtab 84 which is of sufficient size to allow a lab technician to grasp,so he may manipulate the needle 52. A second member 86 transverse to tab84 provides structural support for valves 54a and 541) which can beembedded therein or can be fixedly secured thereto.

OPERATION The operation of the present inventive concept will bedescribed with particular reference to its application in obtainingsamples of a specimen under both anaerobio and aerobic conditions. Theaerobic container 62, FIG. I, is fabricated from a flexiblepolyvinylchloride and is approximately half filled with a bacterianutrient; the upper half of container 62 is occupied by oxygen, a gascontaining oxygen or any other gas combinations which are necessary forthe growth of a particular group of pathogenic bacteria. Valve 54a isclosed and valve means 54b is opened by pressing inwardly on leaf springmembers 56a, 56b. The flexible resilient sidewall 66 is pressedinwardly, as shown in broken lines,

FIG. l, valve means 54b is closed and the container 62 will remain in apartially collapsed condition. The hol low needle 52 or open end 50 oftube 48 is placed in a liquid specimen, for example a blood vessel,urine, pus, milk or other liquid specimen and valve means 54b is openedwhich causes the specimen to be suctioned through tube and intocontainer 62. Valve means 54b is then closed and valve means 54a isopened and flexible membrane 42 is pressed inwardly, thereby forcing aportion of the prereduced media 46 outwardly through valve means 540.Valve means 54a can be closed and the membrane 42 will remain in itscollapsed condition, as illustrated in broken lines in FIG. I. Thehollow needle 52 or open end 50 can be placed in the same liquidspecimen; valve means 54a is opened and a sample of the specimen issuctioned through tube 48 into the interior of container 26. Thussamples of the same specimen are easily collected under both aerobic andanaerobic conditions.

Thus a concise and comprehensive assessment of the numerous advantagesand merits realized by utilizing the present new and unobvious inventiveconcept are enumerated, as follows: (a) The membrane 42 func tions as apressure indicating and safety mechanism, in the sense, that membrane 42will bulge increasingly outward if these should develop a pressurebuild-up within container 26, which indicates a chemical reaction hasoccurred. (b) Thus, a lab technician can insert the hollow needle of asyringe through stopper 34 and remove a desired quantity of the gas,thereby relieving the pressure within container 26. (c) A syringe,likewise, may be inserted through stopper 34 for removing apredetermined amount of the medium 46 to check for bacteria growthwithout introducing air or any other contaminants and withoutinterrupting the anaerobic environment of bacteria growth. (d) Inaddition, membrane 42 functions to indicate whether an organism is gasproducing and this is of diagnostic value. (e) Also, membrane 42 givesan indication as to the amount of gas produced within container 26.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been described in detailherein, shown in the accompanying drawing, and as operating in aspecific manner in accordance with the provisions of the US. PatentStatutes, it will be evident that various, further modifications arepossible in the arrangement and construction of the components of thepresent concept without departing from the scope and spirit of theinvention.

What is desired to be secured and claimed by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. An assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of a specimen in acontrolled anaerobic and/or aerobic environment, in combinationcomprising:

a first structural means defining an enclosure containing a medium, saidmeans so constructed of a resilient, flexible material and arranged insuch a manner that at least one wall portion can be forced inwardly whenpressure is applied thereto by the fingers of a lab technician, saidwall portion will inherently return to its normal configuration when theforce being applied thereto is removed therefrom;

a second structural means defining another enclosure containing apredetermined quantity of sterile medium which substantially fills theinterior thereof; said second structural means has a wall portiondefining an opening that is closed and completely covered by a flexible,resilient membrane means which when forced inwardly or expandedoutwardly will inherently return to its original configuration when theforce being applied thereto is removed therefrom, said membrane means isso constructed and arranged for visually indicating an increase inpressure within said second structural means;

hollow conduit means for directing the flow of fluid, said conduit meanshaving at least one open end and including conduit means operativelyinterconnecting the interior of both the first and second structuralmeans with said open end; and

valve means operatively associated with said conduit means forselectively directing the flow of fluid from the open end of the conduitmeans to either the first or second structural means.

2. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of a specimenrecited in claim 1, further including a means for securing the membraneto the wall portion of the second structural means which defines theelongate opening, said securing means effectively creating a fluid sealbetween the membrane and the wall portion of the second structuralmeans.

3. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of a specimenrecited in claim 2, wherein the first structural means includes wallmeans defining another opening which is closed and completely covered byanother flexible, gas-impermeable, self-sealing, resilient membrane soconstructed and arranged that a lab technician can insert the hollowneedle of a syringe through said membrane to remove a desired quantityof the medium for detection of aerobic bacterial growth.

4. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of a specimenrecited in claim 3, wherein the second structural means includes wallmeans defining a hole which is closed and completely covered by anadditional flexible, gas-impermeable, self-sealing, resilient membraneso constructed and arranged that a lab tech nician can insert the hollowneedle of a syringe through said membrane to remove a desired quantityof the medium for detection of an anaerobic bacterial growth.

5. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of a specimenrecited in claim 1, wherein means defining a hollow needle is secured tothe open end of the conduit means and communicating therewith.

6. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of a specimenrecited in claim 1, wherein the valve means operatively associated withthe conduit means and disposed between the open end and the firststructural means, includes a first valve means movable between an openposition which permits the flow of fluid from the open end to theinterior of the first structural means and a closed position whichinhibits the flow of fluid from the open end of the conduit means to theinterior of the first structural means, and a second valve meansoperatively associated with the conduit means and disposed between theopen end and the second structural means, and second valve means beingmovable betwen an open position which permits the flow of fluid from theopen end to the interior of the second structural means and a closedposition which inhibits the flow of fluid from the open end of theconduit means to the interior of the second structural means.

7. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of a specimenrecited in claim 1, further including means for releasably clamping thefirst structural means to the second structural means in a close side byside relationship.

8. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample ofa specimenrecited in claim 7, wherein the releasable clamping means includes anoutwardly extending leg member having a resilient spring portiondisposed adjacent one end and the opposite end of said leg is fixedlysecured to the second structural means, said spring portion extendsupwardly and substantially normal to the leg, said spring portion soconstructed and arranged for frictionally abutting and biasing the firststructural means toward and into faying contact with the secondstructional means.

9. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample ofa specimenrecited in claim 8, wherein the releasable clamping means and the secondstructure means are fabricated from the same material as a unitarysubassembly.

10. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of a specimenrecited in claim 8, wherein the leg member of the releasable clampingmeans has a greater tensile strength than the resilient spring portion.

1. AN ASSEMBLY FOR COLLECTING AND CULTURING A SAMPLE OF A SPECIMEN IN ACONTROLLED ANAEROBIC AND/OR AEROBIC ENVIRONMENT, IN COMBINATIONCOMPRISING: A FIRST STRUCTURAL MEANS DEFINING AN ENCLOSURE CONTAINING AMEDIUM, SAID MEANS SO CONSTRUCTED OF A RESILENT, FLEXIBLE MATERIAL ANDARRANGED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT AT LEAST ONE WALL PORTION CAN BE FORCEDINWARDLY WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED THERETO BY THE FINGERS OF A LABTECHNICIAN, SAID WALL PORTION WILL INHERENTLY RETURN TO ITS NORMALCONFIGURATION WHEN THE FORCE BEING APPLIED THERETO IS REMOVED THEREFROM,A SECOND STRUCTURAL MEANS DEFINING ANOTHER ENCLOSURE CONTAINING APREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF STERILE MEDIUM WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY FILLS THEINTERIOR THEREOF, SAID SECOND STRUCTURAL MEANS HAS A WALL PORTIONDEFINING AN OPENING THAT IS CLOSED AND COMPLETELY COVERED BY A FLEXIBLE,RESILIENT
 2. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of aspecimen recited in claim 1, further including a means for securing themembrane to the wall portion of the second structural means whichdefines the elongate opening, said securing means effectively creating afluid seal between the membrane and the wall portion of the secondstructural means.
 3. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sampleof a specimen recited in claim 2, wherein the first structural meansincludes wall means defining another opening which is closed andcompletely covered by another flexible, gas-impermeable, self-sealing,resilient membrane so constructed and arranged that a lab technician caninsert the hollow needle of a syringe through said membrane to remove adesired quantity of the medium for detection of aerobic bacterialgrowth.
 4. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of aspecimen recited in claim 3, wherein the second structural meansincludes wall means defining a hole which is closed and completelycovered by an additional flexible, gas-impermeable, self-sealing,resilient membrane so constructed and arranged that a lab technician caninsert the hollow needle of a syringe through said membrane to remove adesired quantity of the medium for detection of an anaerobic bacterialgrowth.
 5. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of aspecimen recited in claim 1, wherein means defining a hollow needle issecured to the open end of the conduit means and communicatingtherewith.
 6. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of aspecimen recited in claim 1, wherein the valve means operativelyassociated with the conduit means and disposed between the open end andthe first structural means, includes a first valve means movable betweenan open position which permits the flow of fluid from the open end tothe interior of the first structural means and a closed position whichinhibits the flow of fluid from the open end of the conduit means to theinterior of the first structural means, and a second valve meansoperatively associated with the conduit means and disposed between theopen end and the second structural means, and second valve means beingmovable betwen an open position which permits the flow of fluid from theopen end to the interior of the second structural means and a closedposition which inhibits the flow of fluid from the open end of theconduit means to the interior of the second structural means.
 7. Theassembly for collecting and culturing a sample of a specimen recited inclaim 1, further including means for releasably clamping the firststructural means to the second structural means in a close side by siderelationship.
 8. The assembly for collecting and culturing a sample of aspecimen recited in claim 7, wherein the releasable clamping meansincludes an outwardly extending leg member having a resilient springportion disposed adjacent one end and the opposite end of said leg isfixedly secured to the second structural means, said spring portionextends upwardly and substantially normal to the leg, said springportion so constructed and arranged for frictionally abutting andbiasing the first structural means toward and into faying contact withthe second structional means.
 9. The assembly for collecting andculturing a sample of a specimen recited in claim 8, wherein thereleasable clamping means and the second structure means are fabricatedfrom the same material as a unitary sub-assembly.
 10. The assembly forcollecting and culturing a sample of a specimen recited in claim 8,wherein the leg member of the releasable clamping means has a greatertensile strength than the resilient spring portion.